Uncoupling mechanism for rotor couplers



June 20, 1933. A. J. BAZELEY UNCOUPLING MECHANISM FOR ROTOR COUPLERS 3sheets-sheet 1 Filed Oct. 30, 1929 J/AQ W I Ii;

June 20, 1933. A. J. BAZELEY UNCOUPLING MECHANISM FOR ROTOR GOUPLERSFiled Oct. 30, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 20, 1933. A. J. BAZELEY1,915,146

UNCOUPLING MECHANISM FOR ROTOR COUPLERS Filed Oct. 30, 1929 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 20, 1933 UNITED STATES ARTHUR J. BAZELEY,OF CLEVELAND, OHIO UNCOUPLING MECHANISM FOR ROTQR COUPLERS Applicationfiled October 30, 1929. Serial No. 403,405.

The present invention has for an object to provide an improveduncoupling mechanism for couplers of the type commonly used on railwayrolling stock. The uncoupling rod as usually applied to freight carspartakes of the motion of the coupler during train operation andtherefore has considerable movement which causes excessive wear of boththe rod and the bracket in which it is supported.

The present invention provides an arrangement in which the uncouplingrod and the operating lever are united by a lost motion connection whichreduces wear and has other advantages.

The nature and objects of the invention will be better understood from adescription of a particular embodimentfor the purpose of whichdescription reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forminga part hereof and in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation of anuncoupling mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention, aportion of the coupler and car frame to which it is con nected beingshown in dot and dash lines,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same,

Fig. 8 is an end view taken from the left of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a lost motion connecting link taken on theline IVIV of Fig. 5,

Fig. 5 is an edge view of said link,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line VIVI of Fig. 4,

Fig. 7 is a side View of a link of slightly different form, and

Fig. 8 is an end view thereof.

In the structure shown for the purposes of illustration an operatinglever 5 is pivoted. in a bracket 6 secured as by rivets 7 to the frame 8of a railway car. An uncoupling rod 10 is operatively connected at itsinner end to a coupling member 11 which is shown provided with an eye inwhich the hook 12 at the inner end of the rotatable uncoupling rod 10engages. In accordance with the present invention the rotatableuncoupling rod 10 and operating lever 5 are united by a lost motionconnection, whereby the uncoupling 59 rod may move longitudinallywithout moving the lever. In the particular construction illustrated theuncoupling rod 10 is formed at its outer end with a hook 15 and theoperating lever 5 carries a similar hook 16, said 7 hooks preferablyboth lying in the same plane. A link 17 connects the two'hooks by ahinge connection to each.

The, link has at its upper end a pivot member 18 with which the hook 16can readily be 7, engaged when the link and the horizontal bar portionof the lever 5 are in parallel relation but in the operative position ofthe parts as shown disengagement of the hook and link are prevented by astop 20 formed on the link. At the opposite end the link is formed witha similar pivot 22 with which the book 15 can be engaged in certainpositions of the link and rod and disengagement is prevented when theparts are in working position by a ,7 stop 23. In the arrangement shown,the link is hingedly connected to and depends from the operating leverand the uncoupling rod is hingedly connected to and supported at one endby the link, the relation of parts pref- V I erably being such that theweight of the link and uncoupling rod tends to maintain the lever 6 andthe rod in position to maintain the car coupler in connected position.The construction of the link is such that it comprises twoside membersand a perpendicular connecting web, the latter having holes or openingsat its ends to receive the hooks of the operating lever and theuncoupling rod. The bracket 6 in which the operating lever 5 ispivotally suspended may be of any de- 35 sired construction. As shown itis formed with a pair of ears 25 between which a horizontal bar portionof the lever is secured by a suitable bolt 26. A lug 27 shown as hookshaped also engages the horizontal bar portion of the lever. The levercan be connected to the bracket by engaging it with the hook shaped lug27. while the handle portion of the lever is in horizontal position, andthen moving it to the left in Fig. 1 to bring the lever suitably betweenthe lugs 25. A lug 30 forms a stop to limit movement of the lever 5 tothe left.

The link shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is functionally the equivalent of thatabove described and has pivot members 31 and 32 at its opposite ends forengagement by the hooks 15 and 16 of the uncoupling rod and theoperating lever but one side member is narrow and not integrallyconnected with the stops 33 and 34 which retain the hooks 15 and 16 inengagement. This construction in effect comprises a single side memberand a web substantially perpendicular thereto, this web being providedwith holes between the pivots 31 and 32 and the center of the web. Itwill be apparent that either form of the link disclosed is adapted forreversible connection to the rod and lever due to the symmetricalconstruction at the two ends.

The foregoing particular description is illustrative merely and isnotintended as defining the limits ofthe invention.

I claim:,

1. An uncoupling mechanism for car -couplers comprising, in combination,a rotatable uncoupling rod adapted to be operatively connected to thecoupler, an operating lever adapted to be pivotedto a car body and :aconnection between said rod and lever comprising a link hingedlyconnected to and depending from said lever and hingedly connected tosaid rod, said connection to'the lever enforcing bodily rotation of thelink about the axis of said lever.

2. An uncoupling'mechanism for car couplers comprising, in combination,a rotatable uncoupling rod adapted to be operatively connected to thecoupler, an operating lever adapted to be pivoted to a car body, saidrod and lever having hook ends adjacent each other, and a connectionbetween said rod and lever comprising a link having parallel pivotmembers with which the hook ends of the rod and lever engage and havingstop members engaging said book ends to prevent uncoupling thereof innormal operative position but permitting engagement and disengagement ofsaid hook ends in certain relative positions of the parts. I

3. An uncoupling mechanism for car couplers comprising, in combination,a rotatable uncoupling rod adapted to be operatively connected to thecoupler, an operating lever adapted to pivoted to a car body and anoperative connection between said rod'and lever permitting longitudinalmovement of the rod relative to the lever, comprising a link hingedlyconnected at a fixed point to ;he lever and depending therefrom andhingedly connected at a fixed point to the un-' coupling rod andsupporting the same whereby the operating rod is free to movelongitudinally relative to the lever while being operatively connectedthereto but is so suspended that its weight tends to retain the couplerin coupled relation.

4. An uncoupling mechanism for car couplers comprising, in combination,a rotatable uncoupling rod adapted to be operatively connected to thecoupler, an operating lever adapted to be pivoted to a car body, andmeans suspended from said lever connecting said operating lever and saidrod and adapted to rotate bodily about the axis of said lever, said rodbeing positioned below the pivotal axis of said lever.

5. In an uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, a pair of substantiallyparallel uncoupling rods each having a bent portion at one end, a linkhaving similar portions at each end receiving said portions of the rods,said link being adapted for reversible assembly with said rods, saidlink having means thereon to keep the bent portions of said rods inengagement with said link portions.

6. In an uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, a pair of uncouplingrods, a link connecting said rods, said link comprising a side member, aweb projecting substantially perpendicularly from said side memberhaving holes at each end to receive an end of each rod and meansadjacent said holes serving to keep the rods in engagement with the web.

7. An uncoupling mechanism for car couplers comprising, in combination,a rotary uncoupling element carried by the coupler terminating in aneye, a rotatable uncoupling rod adapted for hooked connection with saideye, an operating lever adapted to be pivoted to a car body and a memberpivotally connected with adjacent ends of the rod and lever at fixedpoints operatively connecting said rod and lever.

8. An uncoupling mechanism for car couplers comprising a pair ofsubstantially parallel rotatable rods, and a member connecting the endsof said rods to transmit rotational movement between them by a bodilyrotation of said member about the axis of one of said rods, and toenable relative longitudinal movement of said rods by rotation of saidmember about an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of one ofsaid rods.

In testimony whereof, I have signedmy name to this specification this24th day of October, 1929.

ARTHUR J. BAZELEY.

